Supporting trough for cables



F 7, 1953 F. G. w. ULLBERG, JR 2,656,998

SUPPORTING TROUGH FOR CABLES Filed NOV. 15, 1951 BY PMLq PM A TTORNE YS.

Patented Oct. 27, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT L 1 2,656,998 i siirron'rn've THOUGH FOR CABLES Frederick G. w. Ullberg, Jr.,Philadelpliia, P: i., assignor to T. J. Cope, Inc, Philadelphia, Pa a corporation of Pennsylvania Application November 15, 1951, Serial No. 256,461

4 Claims.

This invention relates to troughs for supporting electric cables and the like, for example, in telegraph, telephone and power, stations.

The chief aim of my invention is to preclude injury to the cables by sharp bending, tearing and/or abrasions incident to placement of the cables and passing of their ends down through rectangular drop-out openings in the trough bottoms.

This objective is realized in practice, as hereinafter more fully disclosed, through provision of finishing elements which are adapted to be attached along the opposite crosswise edges of the drop-out openings and for crosswise of the ends of the trough, and which aiford smoothly rounded surfaces of liberal radius whereover the cable ends bend easily as they are laid Without injury to them by tearing or abrasion, or occasioning strains such as would be likely to result in fracture of the insulation wherein the wire conductors are embedded.

A further object of my invention is to provide simple and easily applied means for securing finishing elements, having the aforesaid attributes, to the troughs.

Other objects and attendant advantages will appear from the following detailed description of the attached drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a unit length of an electric cable supporting trough conveniently embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 shows the trough unit in longitudinal section.

Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the trough taken as indicated by the angled arrow III-1H in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the edge finishing elements for the drop-out opening in the trough bottom; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a clamp strap provided for use in securing the finishing elements.

As herein illustrated, the trough unit is fashioned from reticulate material, which may be metallic and of the expanded variety,'said unit having a bottom web 5 and upstanding longitudinally extending side flanges 6 which latter are reinforced at the top by relatively narrow embracing lap-folded edging strips 1. Formed in the bottom web medially of the length of the trough unit is a rectangular drop-out opening '8 through which electric cables C and C lying in opposite end portions of the unit, are passed downwardly as indicated in broken lines in Fig. 2.

In order to prevent too sharp bending of the cables C, C and at the same time insure against tearing or abrasion thereof by the raw transverse edges of the trough bottom at the opening 8 as said cables are laid, I have provided finishing elements 9 whereof one is separately delineated in perspective in Fig. 4. As shown, each such element 9 is struck from plain sheet material which may be metal, having a fiat horizontal portion [9 with a pendent rounded portion ll of liberal radius, and with upstanding ears l3 at opposite ends of said fiat portion. The ears 13 are pierced as at [4, and in the transverse vertical plane of said holes, the horizontal portion H) of each finishing element 9 is provided with a plurality of spaced apertures 15.

In assembling, the elements 9 are placed in opposing relation with their horizontal portions i0 overlapping margins of the trough bottom 5 at the transverse edges of the opening 8 as shown in Fig. 2. Each element 9 is attached with the aid of a U-shaped strap designated l6 which is separately illustrated in Fig. 5. The upstanding ends I8 of the strap I6 are apertured. respectively as at 20, and the cross portion is provided with apertures 2| which are spaced to correspond with the spacing of the apertures IS in the elements 9. The strap I6 is applied from beneath to embrace the bottom and sides of the trough with the apertures 20 and 2|, 'in registry with the apertures I4 and I 5 of element 9 to receive securing bolts or rivets 25 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. If required or desired, similar finishing elements may be used at opposite ends of the trou h and secured in a like manner to there finish off the raw edges of the bottom web 5.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A trough for the purpose set forth, fashioned from reticulate material with a bottom, with longitudinally-extending upstanding side flanges, and with a drop-out opening in the bottom intermediate the ends thereof; finishing elements of plain sheet material with fiat portions to marginally overlap the transverse edges of the drop-out opening, with rounded portions extending down through said opening, and with upstanding ears at opposite ends of the fiat portions to upwardly lap the longitudinal flanges of the trough at the insides; U-shaped straps applied from beneath to embrace the trough bottom and sides at the regions of overlap of the finishing elements upon the trough bottom; and means for securing the finishing elements and the straps to the trough in assembled relation as aforesaid.

2. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the tops of the trough flanges are edged by relaaecaeee 3 tively narrow lengthwise folded strips or sheet material, and wherein the ears of the finishin elements and the upstanding ends of the straps extend up to the edging strips on the trough flanges.

'3. A trough according to claim 1, having finishing elements identical with those defined in said claim secured in the same manner to opposite ends of the trough.

4. A trough according to claim 1, having finishing elements identical with those defined in said claim secured in the same manner to opposite ends of the trough; wherein the top of the trough flanges are edged by relatively narrow lengthwise folded strips of sheet material, and

wherein the ears of the several finishing ele- 4 ments and the upstanding ends of the straps extend up to the edging strips of the trough flanges.

FREDERICK G. W. ULLBERG, JR.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 489,289 Dodge Jan. 3, 1843 529,400 McCollough Nov. 20, 1894 1,026,301 Caldwell May 14, 1912 1,043,356 Powers Nov. 5, 1912 1,210,133 Baker Dec. 26, 1916 Francis Dec. 16, 1941 

